Document KR 2002 0061662 A1 already makes known a work shoe, in particular a safety shoe, having a passive protective unit which is provided for passively protecting a shoe wearer at least against mechanical and/or electrical loads, and having an active protective unit which has a sensor unit which is provided for detecting a characteristic variable at least in order to enable a protective function and/or a comfort function. In this case, the sensor unit is provided for detecting a load characteristic variable of a safety toecap element of the work shoe in order to enable an overload protection function.